


One more drink

by NikkiBlueBird



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), Green Arrow and the Canaries (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 15:20:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 8,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26471032
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NikkiBlueBird/pseuds/NikkiBlueBird
Summary: One-shots collection.
Relationships: Dinah Drake/Earth-2 Laurel Lance
Comments: 17
Kudos: 47





	1. Something stronger

**Author's Note:**

> Well, me again... 
> 
> Since most of my friends on twitter speak English, I decided to translate the fanfic I was writing before. English is not my language, so please bear with me. 
> 
> Take care!

The perfect sound of the beer bottle she just opened is enough to make a sigh escape her lips. The night is warm and seems to merit a drink because, like the last ones, that too had been a good day and because, in reality, there is no reason for her to be sunk on the kitchen stool, feeling so overwhelmed. 

Everything is fine, as usual; she repeats herself.

She just doesn't feel like going down to the bar tonight. Tonight she is not enthusiastic about being surrounded by people. What she needs tonight is a time for herself, a time to let all those silly thoughts she's been having lately drown… because there is nothing to worry about.

It's not like she's deliberately running down that dead end. She's not that stupid. She knows her place perfectly and knows the conditions in which this relationship has developed. She is not mixing things up.

Everything is fine, as usual; she repeats herself.

Maybe she's spending too much time there. Maybe she needs to start frequenting other places... other people. Establish some healthy distance. Change of scenery. Then she could see things clearly again. See that everything is going amazing and there's no way she can ruin that. Not this time.

A particularly extensive sip of beer stings in her throat and makes her shake her head, more and more convinced that this is not a big problem. She can handle it. The bottle is empty now and she wonders why she was so worried in the first place. Anyway, she's considering opening a second one - just in case - when she hears the steps on the stairs.

And a single glance is enough to bring back the unsettling feeling that she has been desperately trying to crush.

Dinah in a casual black dress, her curly hair falling with natural grace onto her shoulder and her perfectly outlined lips in red. She looks so radiant, so beautiful that Laurel is almost jealous of the lucky bastards who will see her play tonight.  
Laurel turns to the fridge, too abruptly, forcing herself to close her mouth and continue with her purpose of getting that second bottle of beer.

"Is everything ok?" Dinah asks as soon as she finishes going down the last step, because -of course- she is so intuitive.

"Everything's fine, as usual."

The response, which was only an echo of her thoughts, doesn't seem to convince Dinah, but fortunately for Laurel, the clock is unrelenting and her partner will have to hurry if she doesn't want to be late for her own show.

"Are you sure you don't want to come with me?” Dinah tries again.

And Laurel has to make a huge effort not to reflect on her face that she is one second away from giving in to the invitation and spending the rest of the night staring at Dinah like an idiot in love from her usual seat at the bar because - for God's sake - that's all she wants to do.

But she can't.

She knows she can't keep doing this... giving free access to those feelings that are bound to hit a dead end. Instead, she chooses to sketch an easy smile and decides to open the bottle she has been turning over in her hands.

"I promise not to empty the fridge in your absence, if that's what you're worried about."

She can hear Dinah snorting, and Laurel doesn't have to look at her to know she's rolling her eyes. Then Dinah is walking in her direction, getting her attention again. Her eyes are indecipherable when she gets close enough for Laurel to appreciate her perfume and they close as soon as she bends down to press a soft kiss on her cheek; one that, judging by the way Dinah carefully drags her thumb over the place she has kissed, has left a lipstick mark.

Laurel's skin burns under contact when she notices a funny smile on Dinah's lips.

"I hope so." Dinah warns her before walks away and finally enters the elevator.  
It takes a while for Laurel to avert her eyes from where Dinah has disappeared; when she manages to do so, she focuses on the beer fading in front of her and - damn it - she's going to need something stronger now.


	2. Out of practice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize again if there is a sentence out of context or a word misused. I will be relying on the translator during all the chapters haha.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it.

Step back, block. One step forward, hit. Open turn and start again.

Dinah could not define exactly how long she had been following the same pattern, but if the tension in her muscles meant anything, then she would say quite a lot. Her breathing is shorter and less stable with each passing second, and soon it became evident that her movements were beginning to slow down.

Returning to a daily routine of hard physical training after months of inactivity - because, of course, throwing problem drunks out of the bar couldn't be considered 'hard' - was not exactly a piece of cake. She shouldn't have dropped out of training in the first place, but she couldn't be blamed; to be honest, Star City in 2040 didn't even deserve a Pilates class.

Fortunately, all the years of practice before her journey into the future had not been in vain. Her physical fitness was still with her and it was only a matter of time before she reached an optimal level again.

Just like riding a bicycle. 

However, there was still a small problem in her plans.

One stagger of her right foot is enough for Laurel to manage to corral her from behind, pressing the cane against her neck. Although she is not completely immobilized, Dinah is aware that she has been caught and an annoying voice in her head reminds her that she would be dead if this were a real fight. 

It is not necessary to see Laurel's face to know that a malicious smile has formed on her lips. 

"It looks like someone is out of practice."

And there it is. 

That is precisely the problem. 

It is a matter of time, as she has said, and yet Dinah does not seem willing to wait that long when it comes to Laurel. 

It is inevitable that Dinah will demand twice as much of herself when they train together. It is inevitable that she pushes her own limits just to erase the damned smug expression that appears on Laurel's face every time she notices the tiredness in her movements or the clumsiness in her strikes. There is something about Laurel, Dinah doesn't know what, but she brings out her competitive side too easily. 

Dinah is eager to balance the scales between them again. 

"So... are you going to give up?”

Laurel's breath so close to her ear only manages to distract her for a second before Dinah pushes back hard and they both return to the game. Her body is on fire from the effort, but - damn it - she's not going to recognize it, she's not giving Laurel that satisfaction. 

"Well, at least your stubbornness is still intact.”

Dinah smiles slightly, twirling her own cane in the air.

"Less talk, more action.”

The blows start getting harder as it becomes clear that Laurel is also reaching her limit. She seems determined to end this fight soon, and Dinah is finding it increasingly difficult to keep up.

A double twist and a particularly strong stick strike reaches Dinah's right hand, causing her to gasp; a curse escapes her mouth as she is forced to drop her own weapons to cover her injured hand in an attempt to calm the piercing pain.

"Oh, shit." 

It is Laurel who curses this time, throwing the canes aside to hurry to Dinah and inspect the wound. No bones are broken, but the wound is burning like hell and will start to swell soon. 

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—

Dinah shakes her head. 

"I know, Laurel. It's okay." 

"Wait here, I'll get some ice.”

As soon as her partner disappears towards the kitchen, Dinah drops onto the tatami she has been training on, conveniently installed on her living room floor. Dinah is happy to see that - at least this time - nothing has been broken around her. She has not yet bothered to replace the decorations that have been damaged on previous occasions. Her breathing finally begins to normalize, but as her body relaxes, her muscles seem to throb with exhaustion. She is exhausted. Dinah just wants to dive into the bathtub. 

Laurel returns to the room and sits down in front of her to give her a bottle of water that Dinah urgently needs. Laurel steps forward to take her hand carefully, letting it rest on hers to gently press the ice pack over the bruise. Dinah grimaces at the cold contact, but Laurel's smooth movements are in such contrast to those of just a few moments ago that it is impossible to relate the injury to the person who caused it. 

Laurel is serious and unusually quiet. Dinah is not sure Laurel notices the way she is biting her lower lip apprehensively. She looks upset and Dinah knows she probably is. Guilt is drawn all over her face.

"You know, it's not like I won't be able to play the piano again.”

Dinah was trying to lighten the mood, but judging by Laurel's expression, she has failed miserably. 

"What I'm trying to say is that it's just a bruise, Laurel; and it was an accident.”

"I know. Don't try to joke, you suck.”

Dinah rolls her eyes, taking another sip from her water bottle. Laurel refocuses on her task, a little less tense, but equally concerned. Dinah can't help but notice the way her fingers occasionally caress the part of her hand that the ice pack isn't covering. Laurel doesn't seem to notice that she's doing it, just as she doesn't seem to notice that Dinah's cheeks are a little flushed from the gesture. But she likes that. She likes this version of Laurel as much as - deep down inside - she likes the challenging Laurel that motivates her to excel.


	3. Paperwork

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm here again.
> 
> You know, while translating this chapter I was thinking... what songs remind you this ship? For my part, I think I wrote some of these one shot listening "True Love" by Pink, It fits them perfectly hahaha
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter!

At least a dozen curious glances were fixed on Dinah as soon as she set foot inside the enclosure. The sound of her heels against the floor was enough to silence the lively chatter in the corridor and if the expression on her face was suggesting anything, it was that she wanted everyone far out of her way. For that reason, when the Captain of the Police Department disappeared behind the elevator doors, none of the employees dared to question.

Laurel was swinging absently in her chair, reading some notes when Dinah finally broke into her office, dropping -without any ceremonies- a huge folder on her desk. Laurel preferred to ignore the way the bold move collapsed her own piles of documents. With her eyes fixed on Dinah, her features lit up shamelessly.

"What a nice surprise, Dinah."

Dinah's rigid posture made it clear that she was using all her willpower not to give in to the temptation to punch the DA in the face in front of the entire City Hall. Instead, she forced a professional smile, before leaning over the desk. 

"Listen, Laurel. I really don't have time for this, so you're going to tell me right now what your problem is."

Laurel let out a dramatic snort.

"I have a lot of those; I'm afraid you're going to have to be a little more specific.”

Of course, this wasn't going to be that simple. With Laurel it never was. 

Dinah narrowed her eyes. 

"It's okay; let me refresh your memory." 

The mellow tone of voice, the feigned condescension, almost made Laurel laugh, but Dinah's hand hit the folder hard, causing her to shake. Dinah is sure that some pencils rolled off the desk.

"See this?" She continued, without losing her smile. "These are cases filed by the Police Department that need to be reviewed in conjunction with the District Attorney before they can be turned over to the appropriate cases.”

"Wow, that's a lot.” Laurel says, without emotion. 

"How perceptive you are. That is precisely the point." Dinah points her finger. "For the past two weeks, cases have been piling up because, for some reason I can't understand, the DA has rejected every single cop I've sent down here to do the job. Not to mention that she has also purposely ignored my calls. So I'll ask again: what's the problem?"

Laurel leaned against the back of the chair, showing no signs of guilt in the face of the accusations. 

"You know, I've been kind of busy here. Besides, if I'm honest, I don't think those cops you sent are really qualified to do this kind of work.”

"Excuse me?"

"What you hear." She waved her hand, downplaying it. "If it's a joint review, I think the DA deserves to work with a little more competent people, don't you?"

Dinah seemed about to reply -something like Laurel wasn't even a lawyer in the first place- but Laurel jumped up before she had a chance to say a word.

"Hey! Since you took the trouble to come to my office, why don't you stay so we finish those important documents of yours together?

Although the idea had been put forward as a suggestion, Laurel was quick to close the doors without waiting for a response from her. Without the outside hustle and bustle, Dinah found herself in the privacy of the office, with Laurel suspiciously willing to do the paperwork she had been avoiding until now. 

The situation was, at least, disconcerting.   
Noticing her frown, Laurel shrugged.

"It will be fun. We can order something to eat."

Dinah raised her eyebrows in disbelief. She was not sure what she had expected when she left the Police Department ready to confront Laurel, but this was definitely not what she imagined. With any luck she would have managed to annoy her as a punishment for her irresponsibility, but Laurel did not seem annoyed at all. On the contrary, she even looked quite pleased. As if Dinah's presence in the middle of her office was just what she had been waiting for. 

If Dinah didn't know her, she might think that Laurel had planned all this so that she would end up there. But that didn't make sense. Both barely tolerated each other, why would Laurel want to spend time with her?

"Well?" Laurel insisted. She was back at her desk and fiddling with her fingers as she evaluated Dinah's behaviour. "You can choose the food. It's on the DA's tab."

The way Laurel made it sound less and less like a work activity and more like a kind of date really started to worry Dinah. Her eyes fell from Laurel's to the huge folder that was still waiting intact on the desk and a sigh of resignation left her lips. She shouldn't give in to Laurel's whims, but the situation had gone on long enough and she didn't find the impetus in herself to keep arguing about it. 

Without further protest, Dinah dragged the chair to the other side of the desk. 

"Let it be sushi." 

"Good.”

"But I don't want this to become a habit, understand?” 

"Understood, Captain."


	4. Donuts for a broken heart

Laurel's fingers have been pressing so hard on the box she just bought that it has even managed to leave some bruises on the edges. Luckily she hasn't ruined the product, but Laurel has to punish herself mentally for being this nervous. She shouldn't be. It's not the first time she's visited Dinah in her office; the two of them have been working together on a couple of cases and somehow things are working out pretty well.

Laurel wouldn't dare call it a friendship, but she's convinced that they're currently close to that. Perhaps the closest they could come if she considered the complicated history between the two.

Accordingly, it should not be surprising that after hearing about what happened in her absence, Laurel ended up at the Police Department that morning.

It is still early, but Dinah is already there sorting out some documents. It doesn't look like anything important, but the activity manages to keep her distracted enough that she doesn't notice her presence until she slams her knuckles against the door frame.

Judging by the expression on her face, it is clear that Dinah did not expect to see her.

"Hey, Laurel."

"Can I come in?"

Dinah points to the free chair, inviting her in. But when Laurel finally approaches, her eyes find the scar on Dinah's neck and her stomach tightens considerably. It's a deep cut, cauterized in a rudimentary way. Laurel is aware that this wound robbed Dinah of her canary cry. But now that she has seen it, it is clear that Dinah is even lucky to be alive...

"We didn't have anything pending, did we?"

Dinah seems a little confused and Laurel must force herself to crush the whirlwind of feelings that has sprung up inside her.

"No, I... I was just coming to give you this." Laurel left the box in front of Dinah before her hands could ruin it any further. "…and to know how you are."

By the way her shoulders tensed slightly, Laurel could tell that Dinah understood what she was referring to.

"Felicity told me what happened.”

"Oh, I see..."

Dinah is not looking at her now and although her stance is not defensive, she does not seem to be sure how to continue this conversation.

And the worst thing is that Laurel is not either.

Laurel should have guessed that she would be the last person Dinah would expect some kind of concern, but she can't blame her for that. She has never been able to express her emotions properly and yet she is here now, trying to get it right this time.

She's thinking exactly that when she reaches for Dinah's hand on her desk, holding it with the necessary pressure to make those green eyes return to hers.

"I'm sorry about what happened, Dinah. I mean it sincerely. You're a strong woman; if anyone can get through this, it's you.”

For a few seconds -mortally eternal for Laurel - both remain silent. Laurel is already beginning to regret it when a soft smile on Dinah's lips manages to bring down all her inner concerns. Not only is Dinah not rejecting the gesture, she is even turning her hand to be able to reciprocate Laurel's grip properly. With her hands intertwined like this, Laurel heartily hopes that her cheeks do not turn red.

"You know, I think you're the only person who could really understand how I feel.”

Laurel lets her breath out, because Dinah is right. Because Laurel can really understand; she can almost feel the pain coming down her own throat every time she looks at that scar. That's exactly why she decided to do all this in the first place, and she's relieved that Dinah understands.

"It's too recent, so it still feels strange," Dinah continues. "But I will be fine.”

Laurel nods firmly, allowing her hands to separate now.

Dinah looks much less uncomfortable after that, so, raising her eyebrows in curiosity, she decides to open the box Laurel has brought along to take a look at it.

"So... are you trying to cheer me up with donuts?"

Laurel is sure she's blushing now.

"Is this too cliché?"

Dinah cannot help but laugh at the comment and Laurel can swear that she has never looked at her in this way before. Her eyes are shining so brightly, with so much sympathy, that it is hard to remember the times when she could only find disgust in them. The change is so overwhelming that Laurel's first instinct would have been to put her eyes aside immediately, yet she does not, cannot, do so. Laurel wishes Dinah could look at her like that more often.

“It's working." Dinah answers.

A gentle knock on the door breaks the atmosphere. An officer is calling Dinah, and she gestures that she will be right there.

"Apparently, my breakfast will have to wait a few more minutes.”

Laurel gets up, mentioning that she should go too. Dinah nods in response and grabs some documents before going around the desk. Before Laurel can say anything, Dinah's hand reaches her forearm to caress it slightly and -God- her skin tingles at the touch. Laurel feels that she could start getting used to this intimacy.

"Thank you, Laurel. I mean it."

"You don't have to thank."

Dinah smiles one more time before leaving the office.

Laurel has to admit that this didn't turn out so badly after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little late, but here is a translation of the fourth chapter. 
> 
> Supergirl is going to finish in the sixth season :( I really hope that CW will pick up Green Arrow and the Canaries now. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone for reading!


	5. Empty glasses

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m really fighting with the translator, so I’m sorry for any mistakes there may be.
> 
> In this chapter there is less dialogue than usual, you will see why :)

With two half-empty wine glasses and a huge padded blanket, the night passed serenely in Dinah's apartment. She and Laurel had finished patrolling about an hour ago without major complications, so when they returned they ended up settling on the couch, completely ready to eat the leftover cold pizza from the previous night. Dinah had stressed the need to start improving her diet and Laurel had politely ignored the comment by offering her more wine.

After that, there wasn't much else to do.

Considering it was still early to go to bed, Dinah suggested watching a movie. Laurel had shrugged her shoulders, letting Dinah feel free to choose. But each suggestion was rejected -very strongly in certain cases- and Dinah, rolling her eyes, ended up relegating the decision to Laurel.

Her feet began to go numb, so she decided to find a more comfortable position while waiting for her partner's verdict, leaning against the corner of the sofa to let her legs spread out over Laurel's lap. Laurel's hand, which was not being used to manipulate the selector, immediately landed on her knee, mumbling about how cold she was.

Since then, Laurel has been navigating through the categories, proposing many things without really choosing anything, and although the wine, the blanket and Laurel's hand tracing careless circles on her leg are helping to fight the temperature, they are also causing Dinah to start feeling sleepy.

She will definitely go upstairs to her room if Laurel doesn't choose something soon. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like that's going to happen for now, so Dinah, losing her patience, sits halfway up on the couch with the intention of snatching Laurel the coach. Laurel, however, anticipates her moves and the selector is taken out of Dinah's capable hands.

"Don't even try."

Dinah snorts and tries again.

"Just pick something out now."

"A bit of patience, D" Laurel hums. "Unlike you, I am very selective about the things I see”

"Which brings me to the conclusion that you are not very popular on movie nights?”

Dinah laughs and Laurel likes the sound so much that she finds it impossible not to take her eyes off the screen to look at her properly. They are so close and there is something so intimate about this whole situation that the breath gets stuck in her throat. It's unfair how pretty Dinah looks when she's this comfortable and relaxed, in house clothes and with her hair in a mess. And it is unfair that Dinah is oblivious to the effect these things are having on Laurel. She can think of a thousand reasons why having those thoughts about her partner would not be considered appropriate, and a thousand more why she shouldn't be wanting to kiss her as much as she does right now. But when Dinah, still smiling, strokes a few strands of her hair to get her attention and ask her why she has suddenly become mute, Laurel can no longer hold back. She leans in slightly and kisses Dinah and it's probably the softest, shortest, most careful kiss she's ever had in her entire life.

When she moves away, she desperately tries to find in Dinah's features some clue, some sign that she hasn't ruined things. Laurel wants to say something, anything, but she doesn't get the chance. Dinah's expression is indecipherable when she wraps her fingers in Laurel's hair, bringing her closer to continue what she herself had begun.

There is a distant echo in Dinah's mind, reminding her that there are a thousand reasons why this could become a big mistake, but when Laurel's lips begin to move over hers more confidently, Dinah forgets them all. All she can feel is Laurel, the smell of her perfume, the impatience of her mouth. Kissing her feels too good, too right. It is hard to believe that it was not meant to be.

Dinah subtly slips her tongue against Laurel's lips, sending shivers down her back. Laurel deepens the kiss; making her way into Dinah's mouth and making their tongues meet with torturously slow movements. Dinah can't stop a moan from escaping, one that ends up drowning against Laurel's mouth. Laurel's skin bristles at the sound and all she can think about is provoking it again.

Laurel's hand, which was on Dinah's leg, is sliding up to find the curve of her hip and Dinah is pressed back against the sofa. The blanket has fallen to the floor, but the cold is no longer a problem, especially when its absence allows Laurel leans on her body. Dinah is letting her hands trace caresses on Laurel's back, slightly scratching the exposed skin on her neck.

The kisses become a little more longing and disordered. Laurel's hand finds the hem of Dinah's T-shirt and her thumb begins to brush against the warm skin of her waist just as the signal, the one Dinah programmed to alert to problems somewhere in the city, is activated on their phones and the weight of reality falls heavily on the atmosphere in which they had been trapped.  
Laurel and Dinah separate only to find the same perspective: red cheeks, dilated pupils and an arduous struggle to control the agitated breathing after an intense session of kissing on the sofa.

Both are incorporated enough for Dinah to verify the location of the conflict. Out of the corner of her eye she can see Laurel reach for her forgotten wine glass and empty the contents in one sip. Laurel reaches for Dinah's and Dinah is reaching out to receive it when Laurel makes all the contents of that glass disappear as well.

Their gazes meet again and Laurel, with the back of her hand in her mouth as she swallows, realizes her mistake. The blush on her cheeks intensifies.

"Sorry, were you going to finish it?"

Dinah didn't expect to see Laurel nervous about having kissed her - well, kissed her like... that - and although she must strive to contain her desire to laugh, Dinah must recognize that it makes her heart pound, so she gives her a loving look.

"I can have another one later."

The communicator lights up in her ears and - oh... Mia sure will notice this change, wasn't she? - the voice of her younger partner sounds at the other end of the line.

"Girls?"

"On the way." They answer at the same time.


	6. Where you have to be

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soft. 
> 
> That's it.
> 
> See you soon :)

"Yes... this is a good place to think."

Laurel had completely lost track of time and it was starting to get dark. The street lights had been turned on at some point and were now dimly reflected on the water. The intervention startled her, but Laurel didn't bother to ask; Dinah seemed to have a special ability to find her anywhere.

"Are you okay?" Dinah asks, although judging by the tone of her voice, she already knows the answer.

Laurel shrugs, leaning back on the bench. 

"Are any of us?"

"I guess not." Dinah admits, sitting next to her. For a few moments, they both remain like this, contemplating the incredible view that the dock offers at that hour of the afternoon. The wind blows cold on their faces. Laurel feels Dinah's gaze on her, burning on her skin. Their eyes meet again. "That doesn't mean I shouldn't worry about you.”

There is softness in her features and Laurel feels her heart fluttering a bit. It's not like she's going to admit it. 

Dinah is intuitive, she is probably guessing the reasons why Laurel had decided to get lost in the city and although Laurel would have wished with all her strength not to have to face her demons in front of someone, tonight she had already exhausted her efforts.

She's sick of running away.

It had taken her some time to feel free, to convince herself that she would no longer have to carry that weight on her shoulders. Laurel wanted to believe that she could be herself, without guilt, without trying to fulfill anyone's expectations. But no matter which path she decided to follow, fate always threw her into the same hole.

And Laurel hated that feeling. She hated feeling out of place; like she was a stranger in her own skin. That's why it had hurt so much to realize that her home, the real one, had completely disappeared just when she had finally made peace with herself and started living her own life. Losing it had been a hard blow, very hard, but Laurel was making a great effort to recover from that blow.

Things got surprisingly better when the kids arrived. When William, in the midst of an audience still shaken by the newly exposed announcements about the future, mentioned that there was a whole network of 'Canaries' fighting to save the city. A network that Dinah and she led together.

Once the tension of the moment had subsided, Laurel allowed herself to think about it, about the possibility of such a future for her in this world. Laurel thought a lot about Dinah, about how excited she had been with the expectation; as if sharing the same destiny with Laurel didn't bother her at all, as if there wasn't a turbulent past between the two of them. Both had even found time to talk about it. In spite of her better judgment, Laurel also allowed herself to get her hopes up.

But then, the Crisis had come and all its repercussions along with it.

Many returned, but Oliver didn’t. And neither did Laurel; the Laurel everyone was waiting for, the one they had never stopped waiting for, the one people always looked for when they looked into her eyes. The pain of her loss reopened like a fresh new wound. And Laurel, this Laurel, couldn't bear to carry that.

Not again.

She lets out an audible, tired sigh. 

"All this new reality doesn't quite fit into my mind, you know? I can't help but think that it's wrong, that I..." Dinah looks at her carefully and Laurel cuts herself, trying to find the words. "…that I shouldn't be here, Dinah.”

Although she had thought about it for hours, expressing it out loud hits her differently and Laurel doesn't risk opening her mouth again for fear that her voice will betray her. She has already shown too much weakness. 

Her gaze falls on Dinah's hands, noticing how red they look from the cold. She will suggest that it is time to leave when Dinah approaches to hug her and any attempt to talk is suffocated by the shock. This is the first time this has happened and Laurel is frozen, completely unsure of what to do. 

One of Dinah's hands begins to move slowly on her back and that is all it takes; the feeling is so comforting that Laurel's eyes close from inertia when she surrenders in the hug.

"You're right where you should be, Laurel." Dinah says, very close to her ear, getting Laurel to lean in unconsciously. Dinah holds the hug for a few more moments and then moves away enough to see her face. Laurel has to fight the urge to pursue her. "You have been focusing too much on the reasons why you shouldn't be here, but have you thought that there is actually a reason you are?"

Laurel is unable to articulate any appropriate words in response and a soft smile forms on Dinah's lips. Looking into her eyes, it's hard not to trust her words; it's hard not to want to be hooked on them as if they were a lifebuoy. In other circumstances, perhaps, Laurel would have been scared of the effect Dinah has on her; but this time she wants to be selfish and believe that she is right, that this cannot be a coincidence.

"Just think about it, okay?" Dinah insists and Laurel nods, because she will, because she wants to try. Dinah seems to accept that answer and stands up, pulling Laurel along with her.

It's late; the night has fallen completely over the city. Surely everyone is already gathered at the site of the commemoration and Laurel and Dinah are setting out to join them.

"You know." Laurel says when she finally seems to have recovered the ability to do so. "I wouldn't mind some help in finding out what that reason is."

It is Dinah who doesn't answer this time; she just rolls her eyes. A smile is curling her lips again, but it is brief, considering the circumstances. Her arm engages Laurel's as they walk and the soft touch of her hand stays with her for many more hours.


	7. Kinds of dates

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Late, I know... Anyway, I hope you enjoy it :)

Mia turns to the mirror to evaluate the quality of the piece while trying to imagine how it would look on her.

"What do you think of this one?" She asks.

"It looks good.”

Mia sighs, leaving her dress aside to give Laurel one of those looks with which she usually expresses her displeasure. Laurel has formulated exactly the same answer to each of the previous suggestions without having given them a proper look.

The end of the year is approaching and along with it a busy schedule of events she and William must attend. Mia had thought it would be a good idea to bring Laurel to her dress fitting. After all, Mia had always considered Laurel's fashion style attractive. She told herself that a new perspective would be good for her. But this is not working out the way she had expected.

Laurel is always a pain in the ass, but she is currently pushing her own limits. She is not at all interested in Mia's suggestions and definitely doesn't have the decency to dissimulate. Instead, she keeps herself busy by happily accepting the champagne glasses that the wardrobe assistant offers her every so often; wardrobe assistant that, by the way, keeps herself busy flirting with Laurel in a not very subtle way, leaving Mia entirely alone in her choice of clothes.

Mia's frown became so deep that it was impossible for Laurel to keep pretending any longer that she didn't notice.

"What?" she asks defensively.

"Oh, nothing. Don't worry about me. Please continue to ignore me."

Laurel rolls her eyes at the sarcastic tone.

"Okay, fine. I'm sorry. But you have to consider that buying rich kids' dresses is not in my top ten favourite activities... You should have asked Dinah for help."

Yes. Mia couldn't agree more with that. With Dinah there, Laurel's behaviour would be much less unpleasant. Unfortunately, Dinah had different plans for that afternoon.

"Where is she anyway?" Laurel continues, with genuine curiosity.

And then, something lights up in Mia's mind.

"Wait, you don't know?"

"Should I?"

Mia shrugs her shoulders, gesturing to the assistant to hand over the clothes she chose herself after giving up her quest for cooperation.

"I invited her to come, but she said she had a date."

Out of the corner of her eye, Mia could see that Laurel's cynical expression was replaced by one of confusion.

"A date?"

Mia nods.

"I was surprised too. Honestly, I was beginning to think you two had something."

Laurel gives him a sharp look, choosing to empty the contents of his glass before responding.

"Very funny.”

Mia has to bite her tongue to suffocate the urge to laugh, an urge that is intensified when she observes the perplexity on the wardrobe assistant's face when she notices that Laurel has suddenly lost all interest. Mia is regretting not being able to accompany Laurel back home because she can sense how interesting the rest of the afternoon will be in the Canary lair.

The feeling of discontent that the new information has caused, accompanies Laurel all the way and it increases even more when she arrives only to find Jimmy, the bartender, finishing arranging some tables for the opening of that day. When asking about Dinah, he comments that he has not seen her, but that she had warned him that she would be late.

Laurel takes a look at her wristwatch and considers that it is still early. If Dinah really is on a date, she won't see her around for quite a while, so she decides to settle down by the bar, feeling a strong desire to forget that Dinah might actually be on a date.

Laurel doesn't know why the possibility surprises her so much in the first place. Dinah has been living here for several months. She didn't even want to go back to her own time when she had the chance. The more she thinks about it, the more logical it seems to her. Dinah is a beautiful young woman. Without the responsibility of having to save the day, what could have stopped her from finding someone somewhere in this futuristic city? Laurel should have guessed, should have considered that probability when she burst into Dinah's new life without asking.

Laurel wonders if that's why Dinah hasn't told her yet...

A glass of dry whiskey is gently placed in front of her.

"It's a little early for this, but something tells me you might need it."

Laurel lets out a sigh when she accepts Jimmy's offer, ignoring the fact that her body already has several glasses of champagne from the boutique.

"You have very keen bartender's intuition."

Jimmy just nods in response and goes back to focusing on his work. Laurel is grateful that he doesn't ask questions because she really wouldn't know how to explain the reasons for her concern when the only thing that is certain is that her concern is rising like a lather with each passing minute. The bar starts to get lively little by little with the arrival of the clients and while the music increases in volume and the wait becomes eternal, Laurel decides to order a second glass of whisky.

Suddenly she's not sure what she should do when Dinah returns -because Dinah is coming home tonight, isn't she?- Anyway, she doesn't have much time to be distressed by the doubt because Dinah chooses that precise moment to enter the bar and as soon as she does, her gaze meets Laurel's.

Laurel is assaulted by a terrible urge to run away, to pretend she doesn't know what she knows, and to pretend it doesn't affect her that Dinah has just been on a fucking date with some lucky bastard. Dinah has barely come within a few feet of her when her features slightly contract at the sight and Laurel understands that she is trapped. She is now wondering if Jimmy really has good bartender's intuition or if she was just expressing her discomfort in some physical - and very obvious - way.

"Hey. Did something happen?"

All Laurel wants to say is 'I don't know, you tell me,' but she drowns out the scathing words with a shot of whiskey.

"Nothing at all."

Dinah doesn't seem convinced, but she doesn't insist.

"Good. Then how about Mia's dress fitting?"

Laurel rolls her eyes as she remembers and Dinah laughs, commenting that maybe she should go next time. She sits on the stool next to Laurel and greets the workers near the table. Laurel's throat dries up when she allows herself to look properly at Dinah in this moment of distraction. Her eyes shine beautifully with the colored lights of the bar and her smile is so soft that it makes her heart skip a few beats. A smile she was probably dedicating to someone else. Laurel's stomach is tightening.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a date?"

Dinah's eyes are suddenly on her; Laurel realizes that her mouth has gone ahead of her brain and expressed aloud what she had no intention of asking. Dinah frowned a bit because the tone of voice Laurel used sounded dangerously recriminatory and yes, it had definitely been a little early for whiskey.

"I don't know. I guess I forgot to mention it."

"But you told Mia."

"Yes, to apologize for not being able to go with you today. I didn't think you'd mind."

Laurel bites her lip with apprehension. Her eyes are fixed on the empty bottom of her glass. Dinah thought she wouldn't care, how could she have thought that? Of course she cares. Of course she would have preferred that Dinah esteemed her enough to have told her herself.

"It's okay. It's your life after all."

Laurel leaves the glass on the table and stands up, ready to get out of there and end this conversation that shouldn't even have started, but Dinah gets up as fast as she does and holds her arm.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Dinah's gaze swings between confusion and worry, but Laurel can't stand it, she can't stay. Laurel doesn't want to reveal how absolutely selfish she is, how much she hates the idea of Dinah being with someone, when Laurel knows very well that she could never be that someone.

"I am. I just wanted to tell you that I hope everything is going okay... that this person treats you like you deserve."

"Laurel, what are you talking about?" Dinah replies, not understanding. "Why shouldn't the doctor treat me well?"

Laurel opens her eyes wide, feeling her neurons collapse.

"The doctor?"

"Yeah, the doctor who is evaluating my knee discomforts. I told Mia it was nothing serious, but- Dinah cuts herself. Her features light up in recognition. "Wait... did you think it was that kind of date; that I was dating someone?"

"Aren't you?"

"We live together, Laurel. Don't you think if I was dating someone, you would have noticed by now?"

"God, I hope not."

Laurel's grimace of disgust causes Dinah to put one hand to her mouth to stifle the laughter. Laurel feels like a complete idiot. Mia knew Dinah would be at a doctor's appointment. Mia had purposely badly contextualized it to punish her, but - damn it, she regretted worrying that Felicity had enough potassium during her gestation – the kid had crossed a line here.

"It's not clear to me." Dinah says, still laughing. "If I start dating with someone, are you going to want to know or not?”

Laurel's cheeks turn abruptly red.

A part of Laurel wants to pretend that none of this happened, that she wasn't here worrying about anything and that everything can continue as it always has. But the other part, the one that is mostly influenced by alcohol, doesn't want this to continue as it always has.

"Forget it, it doesn't matter... will you go on a date with me?"

Laurel didn't want to say it as openly as she did, but it was enough to make the people around her pay attention to what was going on. Laurel can tell that Dinah's breath is stuck in her throat, her cheeks blushing visibly in the middle of some customers' cheering. Laurel cannot believe how much she has embarrassed herself in just half a day.

"You know what? You don't have to answer me now. I'm going to kill Mia and as soon as I get back we'll fix this situation."

"Laurel." Dinah calls her, approaching her again and stopping her halfway to the exit. "Why don't we go upstairs so you can ask me this date more properly... I think the answer might surprise you."

When the audience's cheering becomes more audible at the clear suggestion, Dinah's smile gets bigger and Laurel's heart is about to leave her chest. If that means what she thinks it means, murdering Mia was an errand that could definitely wait until tomorrow.


	8. Old injuries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back, work finally frees me up a little.
> 
> I hope you enjoy it :)

The news of the shooting at the tribunal had completely mobilized the Police Station in just a few minutes. The local media reported several injuries. Some even claimed casualties. The fact that the District Attorney was in charge of filing the charges in court that day had certainly set off even more alarm bells.

Dinah remembered working with Laurel during the course of that case, but, of course, neither of them considered the possibility of the defendant's accomplices bursting into the middle of the court and shooting at point-blank range to free him. Nor could they have anticipated that one of those projectiles would end up hitting Laurel in her attempt to protect one of the testifiers.

Laurel had been transferred to the hospital a few hours ago and Dinah had had to avoid reporters at the building's doors demanding statements about the DA's condition. Surely, none of them could have imagined that Laurel was actually out of bed and half dressed, with pale skin and a thick bandage on her stomach as the only signs that she had just undergone a bullet removal procedure.

Dinah might have been surprised to see her, but this is Laurel after all.

"Can you tell me what you're doing?"

Laurel, however, has not even bothered to look at her since she entered the room. Bad sign.

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

"Obviously not what the nurse recommended you do."

No sassy, clever answer comes out of Laurel's mouth, and that's another bad sign. Laurel remains silent as she tries to reach for her boots. Dinah notices that despite her facade of indifference, the injury is causing her much difficulty.

"Did you catch them?"

"Not yet." Dinah admits. "But we will soon.”

"How many?" Laurel mumbles, and although Dinah hears her, she is not sure what she should say. The lack of response forces Laurel to look up, allowing her eyes to meet for the first time. "How many died, Dinah?"

Clearly, Laurel is still shaken by what happened, and although it doesn't seem like her, it's not strange to Dinah. Laurel loses a little bit of focus when something is bothering her enough and she has been doing a really good job as a lawyer. This change in her attitude may mean that she has become much more involved in this than Dinah imagined.

Laurel is waiting for a confirmation; she is scrutinizing Dinah's face urgently, as if a part of her is still waiting for good news. Unfortunately, Dinah cannot give them.

"It wasn't your fault, Laurel." She answers instead, because it's true and because it's the only thing that could perhaps offer her comfort.

But it doesn't.

Laurel begins to move faster as she searches the room for her shirt. Dinah stops her, snatching the garment from her hands as soon as she reaches it.

"You have to go back to bed; your wound will open."

Dinah can feel the frustration emanating from Laurel's body when she gives her a deadly glance. Dinah recognizes this expression; she has seen it before and doesn't like it. She doesn't like the moments when Laurel closes up like this. She does not like it when she refuses to come to her senses. She does not like to discover how easy it would be for Laurel to throw everything away and give in to her old instincts.

"I'm going to kill them. Don't interfere with me."

Dinah really hates this.

"I know you're upset, but you won't solve anything by acting on impulse. That's not the way to solve things and you know it.”

"To hell with that. I'm sick of doing things your way. Can't you see it doesn't work?"

"And you think you'll get a better result by going up against them in this state? You'll only get them to finish the job and kill you!"

"Why do you care anyway?”

Laurel approaches her until they are face to face. Her body is completely invading Dinah's space and Dinah hates it, but she forces herself to remain stoic while holding Laurel's angry gaze. Her own body is shaking with exasperation as well. Dinah has to grit her teeth to contain herself or things could get out of control.

"This is not the first time I have had to survive someone's shot. You should know better." Dinah's shoulders tighten in response. Laurel steps forward and reaches her hand roughly, forcing it to touch the skin on her abdomen. There, just above the bandage, Dinah's fingers find the roughness of a scar. Dinah holds her breath. Without taking her eyes off her, Laurel flashes a scathing smile. "Oh, you remember it, don't you? The bullet you tried to kill me with."

"Laurel-

"I will not repeat it again." Laurel drags out the words, barely holding back the urge to open her mouth and destroy everything in front of her. Her feverish breath collides directly with Dinah's lips when she manages to verbalize a last warning. "Get out of my way."

The tension is so unbearable that Dinah finds it inevitable to close the little distance between the two, trapping Laurel's lips tightly. Dinah holds her arms to keep her still in place; Laurel, however, does not seem to want to move anywhere. Of course she doesn’t. She is too stubborn to back down. Dinah has barely counted a few seconds of uncertainty before Laurel is corresponding the kiss in the same way; without care, without moderation. A kiss full of frustration and recriminations. Dinah can feel Laurel moving anxiously to enter her mouth, licking, biting and it is almost as if they are fighting. Dinah has never kissed like this before and is afraid of how easy it would be to be completely consumed by this suffocating intensity.

Her hands go up to find Laurel's face and become entangled in her hair as Laurel's fingers hook into her waist, pushing her impossibly close to her body. Feeling Laurel's naked skin, Dinah's common sense reminds her where they are and why. However, she does not need to break the kiss, because Laurel stops abruptly in favor of drowning a painful gasp.

Only then does Dinah open her eyes again and when she does she finds Laurel's eyes tightly closed. Both breathe with difficulty, still close enough to have their breaths mixed. Dinah notice that Laurel looks somewhat paler and one of the hands with which she held her so tightly is now applying pressure to her bandage.

Feeling her weaker, Dinah moves away to hold her arms carefully and help her back up until she reaches the edge of the bed. Laurel seems ready to protest, but Dinah stops any attempt by pressing a hand on her shoulder to keep her seated.

"That's enough." Dinah says, because - God - it's been a long day and she's mentally exhausted too. She doesn't want to argue anymore and the tone she uses doesn't give rise to any kind of retort.

The struggle of hard looks continues for a few more moments before Laurel finally lets out a very audible sigh.

"You are so annoying."

Despite her obvious dissatisfaction, her posture has lost aggressiveness and Dinah does not know whether to attribute it to pain, to the kiss or to a combination of both. Neither of them seems to be ready to talk about what just happened and fortunately they don't have to. A gentle knock on the door echoes in the quiet room and Felicity enters.

"Oh my God." She says barely sees Laurel. Her face expresses genuine concern and Laurel's eyes soften a little when she notices. Felicity sits next to her for a close examination. "How are you?"

Laurel shrugs.

"I've been better."

Felicity takes Laurel's hand and strokes it lovingly in an attempt to comfort her; then she turns to find Dinah.  
"She will need to stay until tomorrow." Dinah tells her, immediately understanding what she wants to ask. "But don't worry; she'll be fine.

"That's good, what a relief, you don't know how worried I was when - wait, then why are you up?”

Laurel turns her face with indifference, refusing to give any explanation. While Felicity takes care of taking off Laurel's boots, putting her back to bed and smothering her with endless warnings and reproaches, Dinah sneaks in to pick up Laurel's shirt that she herself had dropped on the floor when... well, when that happened.

After that, Dinah decides it's a good time to leave. Laurel will not insist on her plans to run away from the hospital while Felicity is present; Laurel esteems her enough not to want to disappoint her trust by making such a mistake. With any luck, Dinah and her police crews would catch the criminals before Laurel regained her strength.

"Are you leaving so soon?" Laurel replied and Dinah closed her eyes: that honeyed tone can't mean anything good. "I might need your help to explain to the nurse how my wound opened up.”

The cheeky smile tells Dinah that Laurel will not let what happened here go so easily. Felicity's gaze swings between the two of them and Dinah can almost see the gears of her sharp mind working nonstop to make sense of Laurel's words. Dinah is not going to give her the time she needs to come to a conclusion.

Ignoring Laurel completely, Dinah asks Felicity to please keep an eye on her.

Her lips are still tingling and once in the hallway, Dinah has to give herself some time to pull herself together. All the press is waiting for the official statement; she can't afford to look like she just kissed the recovering DA.


End file.
